26 Blue city Water has been the key element in Amsterdam’s success. The influence of water is clearly evident in the growth of the region, which is set between the salt water of the North Sea and the freshwater IJsselmeer lake. Water has always been a decisive factor in inner city development, from the digging of the semicircular belt of concentric canals in the 17th century to the 21st-century IJburg expansion district. In the Netherlands a separate council is elected for water management. Amsterdam falls under the jurisdiction of the Amstel, Gooi and Vecht Regional Water Management Board. Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges
Amsterdam and sea level Three centuries ago, a standard ordnance datum (N.A.P.) was established in Amsterdam, based on the average high-water mark of the Zuiderzee, which was Amsterdam’s connection with the North Sea. The N.A.P. serves as the initial point of reference for all construction in the Netherlands. Large parts of Amsterdam are below sea level, with certain polders as low as some six metres below N.A.P.. Vast systems of dykes and pumps ensure that the population of Amsterdam keep their feet dry. Water management is an everyday concern in the urban planning of Amsterdam. 27 Amsterdam has 1.700 km of dykes Schiphol is the only airport in the world built below sea level